Art and the Dreaming -- The lines of empire 1788-1835 -- The pursuit of knowledge 1835-70 -- Colonial art-worlds 1851-88 -- What should Australian artists paint? 1885-1900 -- 'Beautifying the objects of our daily life' : art and decorative art 1890-1920 -- Order and transcendence : art between the wars 1919-39 -- Aboriginal art and its reception 1934-49 -- Art, myth, and society : the Australian avant garde 1939-50 -- Icon and abstraction 1951-68 -- Saying and seeing : contemporary art 1968-99 -- Notes -- Timeline

"This comprehensive survey uniquely covers both Aboriginal art and that of European Australians, providing a revealing examination of the interaction between the two. Painting, photography, bark painting, rock art, sculpture, and the decorative arts are all explored to display the rich texture of Australian art traditions." "Well-known artists such as Margaret Preston, Rover Thomas, and Sidney Nolan are all discussed, as are the natural history illustrators, Aboriginal draughtsmen, and pastellists, whose work is only now being brought to light by new research. Taking the European colonization of the continent in 1788 as his starting point, Sayers integrates important issues concerning colonial art and women artists into this fascinating new story of Australian art."--BOOK JACKET

Includes bibliographical references and index

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